Home > Big E's journey to Wrestlemania a winding road to the spotlight

Big E's journey to Wrestlemania a winding road to the spotlight

Justin BarrassoSaturday, March 15, 2014

Credit: courtesy of WWE

WWE wrestler Ettore "Big E" Ewen

Standing only 5-foot-11 in a world of giants, Ettore Ewen – better known by his “Big E” ring name in the WWE – stands out courtesy of his colossal chest. Even with his ripped biceps and tree-trunk-like thighs, no other part of his physique can compare with the division of his body that lies between the head and the abdomen. The 28-year-old 290-pounder is right at home in the weight room, where he makes lifting appear light and easy, but he is well aware that appearances often deceive.“I’ll chalk the bar, I’ll chalk my back,” said the massive Ewen, who makes a habit of adding more weight to the bar throughout his workouts, performing deadlifts of 750 pounds. “I like it heavy. That’s my wheelhouse.” That wheelhouse is a long way from his original plan. Ewen once dreramed of playing in the National Football League. Even though he did not play high school football until his senior year, Ewen still managed to earn a football scholarship to the University of Iowa. His collegiate career with the Hawkeyes, however, quickly derailed. Ewen spent more time on the injured reserve than he ever did playing on the defensive line for the Hawkeyes. “You feel in isolation from your teammates and the sport you love,” said Ewen, recalling the frustrations of rehabbing and then finding his way right back to the IR. “There’s still a part of me that feels like I didn’t deserve my scholarship.” The inauspicious debut for Iowa began with a torn left ACL as a freshman in 2004. Nearly a year to the day later, Ewen mangled his right ACL, sidelining him for another season. He was healthy enough to contribute to the team during the 2006 season, seeing action during the regular season, but broke his right patella and ripped apart his left pectoral muscle before playing Texas in the Alamo Bowl. After a football career with more broken bones than sacks, Ewen focused his attention on his academics. Ewen’s father was a pastor, and his mother completed her undergraduate studies at Boston College and earned her graduate degree in nursing at Tufts, so the importance of an education was always preached at home. “I felt I’d left a lot on the table,” said Ewen. “After four major surgeries and three major knee surgeries, I thought I was done athletically.” Ewen coped with the injuries and the loss of his football dreams by returning daily to the weight room. Lifting allowed him to clear his mind, think, and add some definition to what is now one of the most remarkable bodies in professional wrestling. “Lifting was always a haven for me,” said Ewen. “When I’m in the weight room alone, I can finally collect my thoughts. I love going to the gym and lifting for three, four hours. The weight room became a place of solitude." Ewen dabbled in some powerlifting competitions, squatting more than 600-pounds and bench pressing just less than 500. But a year into his master’s degree in education, Ewen left the University of Iowa campus to focus on a new dream: headlining the WWE’s signature showcase, WrestleMania. Before he could reach main-event status, he first needed to learn the business, as well as convince a few others – and himself – that he had the personality to succeed in the terrain of World Wrestling Entertainment. Friends and former teammates had already made up their minds. The boy from Tampa, Fla., was too shy, too quiet, too introverted to ever have a role on television. “I was always questioned whether I was extroverted enough,” said Ewen. “I tended to keep my thoughts to myself, so I knew I had more to offer.” Ewen moved back to Tampa and enrolled in the WWE’s developmental program, and immediately impressed those around him with his quick wit and willingness to learn. The four-year wrestling veteran will be making his second appearance at a WrestleMania after debuting in the tag-team championship match last year. Though the WWE roster remains stacked with veterans, Ewen is part of a crop of young stars competing in a race to the top of the card. “We’re all pushing each other,” admitted Ewen. “It’s a great time for our business. There are a lot of guys waiting for a main spot on the roster – Cesaro, the Shield, the Wyatt Family, Fandango, Damien Sandow – the list goes on and on of talented guys who are hungry and ready to work hard every night. You’re always watching what they’re doing. When they have a great match, you want to top that.” Ewen is particularly fond of his trips to Boston, the city where he first defended his Intercontinental championship at this past Survivor Series. In addition to his mother having degrees from BC and Tufts, Ewen’s connections to Boston run deep. He has family in Quincy and his sister attends nursing school outside of the city. Ewen became very comfortable on the road during a seven-month stretch traveling with Diva’s champion AJ Lee and former Diva Kaitlyn. He even made his introduction to the WWE Universe as the silent bodyguard for Lee and Dolph Ziggler, but consistently made the most of his opportunity to showcase his personality. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity with that role, but I knew I could be a lot more than just a bodyguard,” said Ewen. “Stepping out of that and having opportunities in a singles role was good for me. I felt there was a lot more for me to offer, and I still feel that way.” As for WrestleMania XXX, which is airing for the first time ever on the WWE Network on Sunday, April 6, Ewen will rumble in the 30-man “Andre the Giant Memorial” Battle Royal. “Raising that Andre the Giant trophy is a big deal,” said Ewen. “That’s my focus at WrestleMania.” Ewen’s current focus is on the present, but he has dreams well beyond next month. “My dream is to win the WWE world heavyweight championship at WrestleMania,” said Ewen. “I’ve only been in the business four years and it’s been a good start, but there’s still a lot more I can show people.”